Overcoming the obstacles to uncover reading skills

Learning to read is one of the essential building blocks of life.

Strong Start knows that, and since its inception in 2001 has helped some 40,000 children overcome obstacles related to literacy.

It was time to turn the page entirely when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, however, and a new chapter in delivery of service was ushered in with a decidedly more virtual take.

“Of course with COVID-19, we know that vulnerable populations have been disproportionately impacted,” said Laura Scott, Strong Start’s Director of Development. “Children who were vulnerable before are even more vulnerable now.”

Strong Start offers three programs. Letters, Sounds and Words, the organization’s flagship program, is a 10-week plan targeting children in Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 in need of a literacy boost; Get Ready for School prepares preschoolers, over a six-month period, by helping them with vocabulary, letter sounds, and classroom behaviors; and Baby Connections connects parents and caregivers with literacy resources intending to spark brain development.

The Get Ready for School program is particularly geared towards children who are learning English as a Second Language or are from low to middle socio-economic backgrounds.

“My son learned a lot in a short time. By answering questions, he gained self-confidence and I could see he felt safe and comfortable with the teachers in class. The program materials were amazing, too. He learned many things and I learned as a parent how to approach his learning with a positive attitude.” -- Parent

Get Ready for School was created to address the developmental gap that often exists between groups in lower-income backgrounds and their higher-income peers. Where it had always been offered in-person – in community centres throughout Waterloo Region – the global pandemic forced a pivot.

Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) paved a path in 2021 with $30,000 in funding through its Community Grants program. That infusion enabled Strong Start, which had applied for the grant, to cover costs associated with this program and continue to operate despite new work-from-home requirements. An adapted virtual program was made available to families.

Scott said program organizers anticipated needing to supply families with technology and a top-up for internet access but came away pleasantly surprised when families were equipped via schools and community programs elsewhere.

“The need was not as felt as we had anticipated,” Scott said. “We did have that available as an option but we never had to use it. Families were able to find a workaround.”

Some benefits were discovered throughout the pandemic era of the program, delivered with the help of part-time instructors.

“(Parents) had to be present when their child was online, and helping them, whereas before, they would drop them off at the community centre. Some would stay, but, you know, there would be jobs or other commitments,” Scott said. “What we found was that it really benefited families as a whole. A lot of people felt isolated, obviously, during the pandemic. They were able to connect with other families online.”

Families also received at-home kits with program materials, which they were able to continue using for as long as desired, beyond the enrollment period.

As provincial restrictions began to lift in Ontario, Strong Start was preparing to return to the conventional in-person model, with an eye on continued growth throughout Waterloo Region, including the rural townships.

The program’s sustainability and potential growth are made possible through various partnerships, not the least of which is with WRCF.

“WRCF has played an important role in the growth and success of Strong Start,” said Executive Director Machelle Denison. “They are responsive to the needs of the community and to the needs of the charities they support. They take a genuine interest in the organizations and causes they support and look for ways to support and enhance the work that goes way beyond the grant.”

Scott concurred. She said the nearly 400 children and their families who benefit annually from the Get Ready for School program would simply not have that opportunity without the ongoing support of WRCF.

“They have an established volunteer group, people who are really entrenched within the community,” she said. “Whether they’re staff or volunteers, these folks are really well-informed. That’s putting it euphemistically. They know their stuff. They understand and appreciate the needs within Waterloo Region.”

To learn more about Strong Start, visit www.strongstart.ca.  


Note: This story was written prior to Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation and Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation unifying to become Waterloo Region Community Foundation. Although the story was created by KWCF, we have updated the organization name to WRCF throughout the story.

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